20 yrs on, wall breached but divisions remain

It came up towards the end of 1989, after a clash broke out between the Dalits and another community which belongs to the Most Backward Castes in Uthapuram village in Peraiyyur Taluk of Madurai. That was the second major altercation that led to bloodshed, the first was in 1964. After the second clash, in which both sides claimed to have lost five lives each, elders of 18 villages in the area sat together and decided to erect the wall to reduce physical interaction between the two communities.

While this might have given an illusion of safety for the MBC Pillaiyars, it blocked at least four inner streets used by the Dalits to come to the main road. Over 600 Dalit families were denied easier access to the main road, forcing them to take a circuitous route.

The wall was out of public or media attention, and over the years, it became a rear wall for many a house on both sides. The presence of this discriminatory structure was exposed when the Untouchability Eradication Front, a CPM-led social alliance, conducted a survey to find out problems faced by the oppressed communities in rural parts of Tamil Nadu. There were also recent attempts by the Pillaiyar community members to electrify the wall for added safety, which led to the present fury against it.

There are other complaints too. 8220;They are not permitting us to construct a proper bus shelter for fear of finding 8216;untouchables8217; sitting while they pass by the bus shelter,8221; said Karuppaiah, a senior Dalit resident in the village.

Velmurugan was 11 when the wall was constructed. 8220;We were chased away from the area when they constructed it. The reasoning about village elders taking the decision is an eyewash, it was a 8216;kattapanchayat8217; kangaroo court that decided on it,8221; he says.

To their credit, the district administration swung into action and punctured a hole through it and laid a road connecting the Dalits to the main road on Tuesday morning.

Despite claims to the contrary, the road through the wall has not yet metamorphosed into a bridge to the hearts. Notwithstanding the presence of a large contingent of policemen who outnumber local residents, the atmosphere of hatred and disbelief has not really changed on ground. Hence, not surprisingly, the hole in the wall coincided with the Pillaiyars leaving their homes to seek shelter on the foothills of the Western Ghats.

8220;We will not come back to our homes unless the state Government agrees to our conditions,8221; said their leader SP Murugesan. Hundreds of men, women and children from their community have stationed themselves in the bushy foothills, with their community members from other villages rushing in rice and other essential commodities.

Their primary demand is availing patta title deed for the land on which their temple has been constructed. Not an easy demand for the administration, as the Dalits are demanding the demolition of the compound wall of the temple. They are also demanding a permanent police station in Uthapuram.

The CPM, who has taken up the issue, has come under fire from various quarters for allegedly seeking electoral gains by taking up the issue. 8220;Our effort is to bridge the gap between mainstream politics and social evils,8221; said party general secretary Prakash Karat here on Wednesday, after visiting the troubled spot in the morning along with state secretary N Varadarajan, the Front8217;s convener P Sampath and other senior leaders.

There are hundreds of police personnel swarming the area, many riot control vehicles with water cannons mounted on top and numerous media persons. Though, not a single shop, not even the only local medical shop was open. The foundation on which the wall rests is one of medieval mindset that cannot be wished away.